Apparatus for drying and stretching stockings



NOV. 8, A B EL ER APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND STRETCHING STOCKINGS Filed March 12, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 55 J 42 ,5 if M Fr'eoL E ficufiche'Z/der't Wail/ m Nov. 8, 1932. F. A. 'BATCHELDER APPARATUS FOR DRYING AND STRETGHING STOCKINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 12, 1930 7/ 1/7 72 lllllllllll I! Patented Nov. 8 1932 *IJNITED STATESS.

FRED A. BA'roH LDEaornoRTH. CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS V APPARATUS ron :onvme AND s'rau'rcnme srocxrives Application filed March 12,

V This invention relates to an improved ap-. paratus for drying and stretching stockings. Certain types of stockings are subjected to a cleansing process during their manufacture, which leaves themdamp and unless due care. is taken to prevent shrinking during the dry ing operation there is a considerable decrease in the size of the stockings, particularly in the length. V i

The object of this invention is toprovide a device which may be clamped at any clesired location upon the usual stocking form that is employed as a dryer and stretcher, said device'being utilized to clamp the stocking in a lengthwise stretched position, and the clamping mechanism being so constructed and arranged with relation to the form that the movement and momentum of the hand of the operator "in stretching the stocking lengthwise upon the form maybe utilized to actuate the clamping mechanism-to hold the stocking in its lengthwise-stretched position;

Another object of the invention is to connect a plurality of thedevi'cestogether insuch a manner that the clamping means for the stockings may be actuated, either successively or simultaneously, to release said stockings when they are dry by a single movement of the hand of the operator, or, individual clamps may be released if it is so desired without affecting other clamps.

Still another object of the invention is to provide the clamping means for the stocking with a replaceable pad for engaging the stocking.

The invention consists in an apparatus for drying and stretching stockings as set forth in the following specification and particularly as pointed out inthe claims thereof. J

Referring to the drawings ig. 1 represents a sectional plan View of two adjacent stocking drying and stretching forms, to each of which a device embodying my invention is secured.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the parts illustrated in Fig. 1, portions of the stocking forms being broken away either to save space in the drawings or to more clearly illustrate portions that would otherwise beobscured. 7

1930. Serial at. 425,177. i

- Fig. 3 is'an enlargedsectional plan view taken on the line 3-.3'of Fig; 2. f

Fig. 4; is an enlarged vertical sectional eles vat-ion taken on the line 4& of Fig. 2, 100k-,

ing in the direction of the arrows on said line.

Fig. 5 is 'a detailtransverse section through one of the detachable pads that for engaging thestocking. v V Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, lO represents a well-known drying and stretching form for asto-c king 11, the latter being" placed upon the form 10 when in a damp condition, after having been I subjected tov a well-known cleansing process, A plurality of the forms 10 are usually mounted side by side upon a pipe 12, pro- 'jecting upwardly therefrom, and each form 10 has a heating chamber 13 provided'upon the interior thereof through which steam circulates. The steamfis delivered to the heating chamber 13 through a'pipe 14 which extends lengthwise through the interior of the pipe 12 being discharged from said pipe 14: into an inlet passage'l5 which is located at 5 the lower end of the leg portion of the form 10. After passing upwardly through the 2 form 10 the steam circulates through the chamber 13. and passes outwardly-therefrom through a discharge passage 16 into the interior of the pipe 12 surrounding the steam inlet is employed] pipe 14. In this manner livesteam is at all times kep forms 10; 1

Mounted upon each of the forms 10 at a 7 suitable distance below the lower. edge of the stocking 11 isa frame 17 embodying therein side members 18 and 19 and a pair of bolts 20, the latter extending between the side mem bers 18.and 19" upon opposite sides of the form 10' and clamping said side members se t circulating through all of the .curely to the form. The side members l8and.

19 ofeach'fram'e 17 may be clamped directly i to the form 10 by the bolts-20, as illustrated at A in Figs. 1 and 2, or an auxiliary clamping member 21 may be interposed between the form 10 and the side member 19 asillus- Y trated at B, Figs. 1, 2 andB. Guide's22' are provided upon opposite sides of theauxiliary clamping member 21' and the latter is sup-v ported upon the extremity of a clamping screw 23 which, in turn, is mounted in the side member 19..

Mounted in the side members 18 and 19 of the frame 17 upon each side of the form 10, is a rock shaft 24, an end portion 25 of which is bent approximately at right angles to the main portion of said shaft. A shouldered portion 26 of each shaft 24 rests against one side of the frame member 18 and a collar 27 is fastened to each shaft24 and abuts against the opposite side of the frame member. 18, thereby pr venting a longitudinal movement of each shaft in the frame member.- V

Mounted upon each rock shaft 24 is a resilient holding device 28for the stocking, embodying therein an arm 29 which is rigidly fastened in anysuitable manner to said shaft.

. A resilient member 30 constructed of wire is attached to each arm 29by means of a bolt 31. Opposite end portions 32 of the resilient member extend parallel to each other and are utilized to, support a strip of flexible material 33 under tension, said strip being attached atits opposite ends to the portions 32. A pad 34of felt or similar soft material is detachably securedto the strip 33 by means of resilient U-sha-ped clips 35 which straddle the strip 33 and pad 34 and project i into a groove 36 provided in said pad.

. The holding devices 28 are actuated in unison to force the pads 34 thereof into engagement with the stocking 11 by a plunger 37, the longitudinal median line of which extends parallel with the longitudinal median line of the form; and the plunger, furthermore, is so positioned with relation to the form 10 that the hand of the operator in pulling down the leg portion of the stocking upon the form may be utilized. to actuate the plunger with the same movement.

39 forming a part of the frame member 18. A handle 40 is located at the top of the plung- The plunger 37 is mounted in a vertical bearing 38 whlch is supported upon an arm er 37 and a collar 41 is rigidly secured at the lower extremity of the plungerand in effect constitutes a portion thereof. Anut 42 and lock nut 43 are adjustably mounted upon the plunger 37 and co-operate to provide a stop for the purpose of limiting the downward movement of the plunger in the bearing 38. A spring 44 is mounted upon the rock shaft 24 and end portions of said spring engage the bolt 20 and arm 29 in such a manner that the spring will always act to hold the portion 25 of the rock shaft 24 inv contact with the collar 41 at the lower extremity of the plunger 37.

The plungers 37 for a. plurality of the devices of this invention may be actuated in unison, or successively, to release the holding devices 28 from engagement with the stockings 11 at the end of the drying and stretching operation by .mechanism as foleration. The shaft rests in anopenslot 47 provided in each hanger 45 and is held therein by means ofa pin 48. Collars 49 and 50, rigidly fasten-ed to-the shaft and positioned upon opposite sides. of one of the hangers 45, prevents a longitudinal movement of the shaft within the hangers. Arms 51 are adjustably secured in any suitable manner to the shaft 46 and the outer end portions of'the arms terminate at a point beneath the plungers 37. If it is desired-to actuate all of the plungers in unison, the extremities of all of I the arms 51 are located an equal distance from the lower extremities of the plungers, but if it is desired to actuate the plungers successively, the various arms are positioned at different distances beneath the plungers.

At any suitable location upon the 'shaft46 a handle 52 is secured and an upward movement of the outer extremity-of this handle will cause the shaft 46 to be rocked, causing the arms 51 to engage the lower'extremities of the plungers 37 and thereby actuating the same to release the holding devices 28 from engagement with the stockings. The shaft 46 is bent at one end thereof at 53 to form a stop portion which contacts with one of the rock shafts 24 in a manner to limit the rocking movement of the shaft 46 in one direction.

' The general operation'of the apparatus,

hereinbeforespecifically described is as follows :After the stockings 11 have been subjected to a cleansing process, they are placed upon the forms 10 and as the operator stretches the leg portion of the stocking lengthwise upon the form, at about the time that the stocking has been completely pulled down and partially stretched upon the form, the hand of the operator comes in contact with the handle 40 of the plunger 37 forcing the latter downwardly and thereby imparting a rocking movement tothe shafts24 and forcing the holding devices 28 into engagement with the stocking. .As theplunger 37 moves downwardly the extremities of the portions 25 of the rock shafts 24 will pass out of engagement with the under surface of the collar 41 which, in effect, constitutes a portion of the plunger and said extremities will thereafter contact withthe. periphery of the collar 41 as illustrated in the full line 1 position in Fig. 4, inwhich position the hold other placing stockings upon each of the forms and successively operates the plungers 37 to actuate the holding devices to clamp the stockings in their stretched positions. 5 After all ofthe stockings are thoroughly dried, the holding devices may all be released simultaneously or successively, as previously 7 pointed out, by lifting the outerportion of the handle 52 and forcing the plungers up-j 10 wardly. As each plunger moves upwardly the collar 41 passes from between theextremities of the bent portions 25 of the rock shafts 24 and the springs .44 will function to rock said shafts in a manner to release the holding devices 28 from the stockings.

Each holding device 28 may be actuated individually at any time to release a stocking 11 by grasping the handle 40 thereof and pulling the same upwardly.

. It will be noted that the pad 34 isdetachably secured to-the flexible strip 33 and the latter is detachably secured to the resilient member 30, so that either or both of said members may be easily replaced as may be required. Furthermore, the entire holding device 28 is very fiexible and easily adapts itself to the sha 'e of any form 10.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for drying and stretching stockings having, in combination, a form provided with a heating medium therein, a frame adjustably mounted upon said form, rock shafts mounted upon said frame upon opposite sides of said form, an arm fast to each of said shafts, flexible stocking clampin means upon said arms, a plunger slidably mounted upon saidframe and positioned beside and parallel to the form, said plunger being operatively connected to both of said upper end of said plunger in close proximity to said form and adapted to be engaged by the hand of the operator in pulling a stocking downwardly upon the form, whereby the plunger is actuated to force the stocking clamping means into contact with said stockmg. i r

2. In a device for drying stockings, means for holdinga stocking in a stretched position embodying an arm, a resilient member carried by said arm, and a flexible stocking engaging member detachably mounted upon said resilient member.

3. In a device for drying stockings, means for holding a stocking in a stretched position embodying therein an arm, a. resilient member carried by said arm, a strip of flexible material detachably secured to said resilient member, and a flexible pad detachably secured to said flexible strip. r

4. In a device for drying stockings, mean for holding a stocking in a stretched position embodying therein an arm, a resilient member carried by said arm, a strip of flexible material supported under tension upon rock shafts, and a handle positionedat the j 7 my hand.

said resilient member, and a flexible pad detachably secured to said flexible strip.

7 5. An apparatus for drying and stretching stockings having, in combination, a form provided with a heating medium therein, a

frame adapted to be clamped tosaid form, 7

rock shaftsmounted upon said frame upon opposite sides of said form, an arm fast to each of said shafts, flexible stocking clamping means upon said arms, a plunger adapted tofirst actuate said rock shafts 1n umson to.

force the stocking clamping means into contact with a stocking heldin a stretched'position uponthe form and to finally lock said clamping means in engagement with said stocking, another'shaft mounted upon, the frame, an operating handle therefor, and an arm fast to said last-named shaft adapted to engage said plunger whereby the latter is actuated.

6. 'An apparatus for drying and stretching stockings having, in combination, a heat-' ed form, a frame. adjustably mounted uponsaid form, shafts mounted upon said frame upon opposite sides of the form, saidshafts having arms embodied therein which project toward and terminate adjacent to each other, another armfast to each of the shafts,

flexible stocking gripping means-yieldingly mounted upon each. ofsaid' last-named arms, a plunger slidably mounted upon the frame above the adjacent extremities of both of the first-named arms, and a handle positioned at the upper end of said plunger adapted to be engaged by the hand of the operator in form, wherebythe plunger is caused toenand actuate the latter to rock the shafts and force the gripping with said stocking.

In'testimony whereof I have hereunto set FRED; A. BATOHELDER.

means into engagement pulling astooking. downwardly: upon the ios 

